Wax composition for coating fruits



Patented June 6, 1950 wax ooiurosrr oxroitfoohrme 1" Oliver P. Greenstreet, San Diego, Califd "Emma L. Greenstteet.administratrix of said Oliver P.

Greenst'retpdeceased j "No Drawing iripplication'l loveniber 7, g v

Serial'Nor 70 ,451; In

2 Claims. (Cl. 1664271)} This invention relates to the- 'of' coatingf fruits, vegetables and other edible -produce for the "purpose of preserving the articlef-againstdecay and; shrinkage and *also for the purpose of preserving the colorzandthe-presentinvention is directed particularlyxto' improvements in coating compositions designed for the coating of citr' us fruit;

aThe inventionzhasllfor a principal ob f j ect toiprovide Ta; composition wh'ichis- 'designed i to 1 be cast inblocks "or'islabsito beitransferred toi the fruit by brushes and which is mcrepaitica-f which awill not stick" to and-gurn' -up the p hes and-therefore require 'frequent 's'toppage' the coati-ng processfor the purposeof cleaning r 6 brushes as is requiredin connection -with the" use of coating compositions of the character at present employed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a coating composition of the character stated which, though containing Wax, is of such character that it may be applied directly to wet fruit and will combine or mix with the water on the fruit and form the desired coating.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved wax and parafiin composition which is adapted to be cast into slabs or blocks for use in connection with rotating brushes for transferring the wax to the fruit and which is also of such character as to be unaffected by extreme changes of temperature thereby making it possible to use the composition in either high or low temperatures without afiecting its coating qualities.

In accordance with the present invention paraflin or paraflin wax is combined in prescribed proportions with carnauba wax or any other equivalent vegetable hard wax such, for example, as candelila wax, through the action of sulfonated mineral oil or sulfonated bitumen oil. This mixture is then placed in suitable molds where it is allowed to congeal into the form of the mold whereupon it is ready for use.

By the use of this composition certain highly desirable results are obtained which cannot be obtained by the use of those wax compositionsat present lemployedl for coating citrous and other fruitst'ii T The 'first of -these?olesirableresults -is the retention of the natural fruit colo'ri The use' of the" carnauba', or other;vegetable hardfwax such as candlila E wax has the effect of controlling the con'sistency'or hardness of the "-finishecl block or slab but. does not cause a shine on the fruit" but merly l'iolds the natural C0101? OfShirie.

'After'i the fruit, especially citrous'fruitgoes through the. washing vats and brushesinthe packirig'plant, it comes out with a very high'natural color or shine and it is this that is held-or retained by the present coating compositiong It1i ofl ourse 'well known that carnauba wax is used gin various polishing compositions to: give 7 a shine to surface's'such-as hardwoodfio'ors, linoieum'anu the like but this wax ccesnot have this action when applied tocitrous fruit because of the soft character of the-fruitsurface: On account" of i this "softness of the 1 surface it is not possible'to'polishgthe wax to give a high gloss or" shine but the desirable 'shinefwhich the fruit li' has after the application of the present compe sition results from the preservation of the natural shine by the thin relatively hard coating which the present composition provides.

Another very desirable feature of the present coating composition is that it is of such consistency that when applied to the fruit by the usual rotating brushes it is picked up by the brushes and transferred to the fruit surface completely and without sticking to the brushes. Thus the brushes will not become loaded with the wax or gummed and require thorough cleaning every few days as is required in using the ordinary wax coating composition. Accordingly a great amount of expense is avoided in connection with the use Of the present composition, as well as a perfect job of coating the fruits at all times. Such is far from the case when using the ordinary wax because the brushes start to gum up immediately after coming in contact with the slabs. The wax of the present invention never causes the brushes to gum up.

Another highly desirable feature of the present composition is that it may be applied to wet fruit as well as dry fruit with the same desirable results. It frequently happens that the fruit when it comes to the waxers is very wet as a result of the scrubbing which it receives prior to the waxing treatment. The ordinary wax slab will not transfer from the rolls to the fruit when the fruit is in this condition. In the present In the preparation of the present composition;

use is made of parafiin having a melting point of from 128 to 130 F. To each 100 pounds of such parafiin from 1% to 2% of carnauba or other approximately 200 F.

To the above mixture is added from 50 to 100 fluid ounces of sulfonated mineral oil .or sulfo- .lQ suitable vegetable hard wax is addedand the two ingredients are heated to approximately 210 F: to efi'ect fusion. The mixture is then cooled. to,

nated bitumen oil and thoroughly mixed withv the 1 melted waxes. The mixture is then poured into molds at approximately 190 F. and allowed tocool and set or congeal into the desired solid block.

The amount of carnauba wax andsulfonatedoil is varied between the extremes stated, ing-ace cordance with the temperature conditions. under which the slabs are to be used.

In .very hot climates where the temperature may be around 100 F. approximately 2% ofthe carnauba or other vegetable hard wax is used.

For such use, however, the amount; of.- sulfonated.

oil will beappropriately reduced and asvlittleas. 50.fluid ounces of sulfonated oil toeach- 100 pounds of paraffin may be employed; Where-the atmospheric temperature is around 100 -F. or

ditions the amount of sulfonated oil, is increased and may be raised to as much as 100 fluid ounces per 100 pounds-of paraffin. These variations in the quantity of sulfonated oil are employed be-, causeof the tendency of the oils to soften the" waxes and accordingly the hotter the working,

conditions the smaller the amount of oilused and vice-versa.

The composition herein disclosed has had extensive use in the citrous fruit industry in both hot and relatively cool climate and has been found to give a more satisfactory coating to such fruit than the parafiin wax coating at present employed.

The coating or protective skin applied to the fruit in the use of the present composition greatly prolongs the life of the fruit as well as preserving the color and shine thereof and in the use oi this composition it is never necessary to clean the brushes.

I claim: 7

1. A composition for coating fruits and vegetables, comprising'paraffin, a vegetable hard wax in a quantity approximately 2% of the quantity of the paraihn, and a sulfonated mineral oil, the ingredients of the composition giving a body having a solid consistency suitable for application to the fruit and vegetable bodies by brushes in anyatmosphericetem'perature ranging from 32 F.- to at least 100 F;

2. A composition for coating fruits and vegetables consisting of paraffin; a vegetable hard waxin the proportion of'from 1 to 2% of the.

parafiin, and sulfonated mineral oil in the proportion of from to fluid ounces to 100 pounds of paraffin, the composition being of a solid consistency suitable for application to the fruit and vegetable bodies bybrushes in. any atmospheric temperature ranging from 32v F. to at least: 100 F;

OLIVER P. GREENSTREET.

' REFERENCES CITED,

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,940,530 a Brogden- Dec. 19, 1933 1,986,936 Lewers Jan. 8, 1935 2,070,936 Trowbridge Feb. 16, 1937 2,150,284 MacRill et a1 M31114, 1939 2,240,031 Bour Apr. 29, 1941 2,348,715 Adams; May 16, 1944- 

1. A COMPOSITION FOR COATING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, COMPRISING PARAFFIN, A VEGETABLE HARD WAX IN A QUANTITY APPROXIMATELY 2% OF THE QUANTITY OF THE PARAFFIN, AND A SULFONATED MINERAL OIL, THE INGREDIENTS OF THE COMPOSITION GIVING A BODY HAVING A SOLID CONSISTENCY SUITABLE FOR APPLICATION TO THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE BODIES BY BRUSHES IN ANY ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE RANGING FROM 32* F. TO AT LEAST 100*F. 